Hire a CRM Consultant
A Facebook friend recently posted that he was looking for a CRM product. Within an hour’s time he had received dozens of suggestions ranging from Zoho, SugarCRM and Salesforce to non-CRM products including Excel, Outlook and Mail Chimp. A few of his buddies even recommended that he build something in Access. These responses led me to believe a couple of things:
Most users often feel their CRM...
Five CRM Commandments
Having written numerous books on ACT! software I frequently receive phone calls from strangers that go something like this:
“We purchased ACT! a few years ago and it’s just not working for us. No one is using it. We’d like to switch to ABC_CRM. They gave us a really great demo and I think it’s exactly what we need.”
My advice is that rather than investing in more CRM software they need...
Thinking of Changing Your CRM Software?
We have to ask…what are some of the Salesforce.com causes for attrition and how may those considerations affect the choice your business makes when it comes to choosing the right CRM solution?
“The financial metrics are clear enough — it doesn’t make sense to invest a lot of dollars in acquiring customers that may only be around for a few years. But to me that’s an argument for...
Act! vs Salesforce.com
As the author of 13 books on various CRM software applications and the creator of the lynda.com Act! training videos I am often asked to compare the various CRM products. Potential CRM users aren’t sure which product to choose, and existing CRM users often want to “jump ship” to another CRM solution. In the final analysis, most CRM products offer very similar feature sets.
Act!...
Why Your CRM Implementation Fails
Having written over a dozen books on CRM software, it’s not unusual for me to receive calls from CRM users who want to “jump ship” and move from one product to another. The reasons may vary but the bottom-line is that the user feels that the current solution “just isn’t working.”
I know first hand the benefits of CRM software. Unfortunately, I also know first...
Choosing the Correct CRM Solution in the New Year
Customer Relation Management (CRM) systems have come a long way. Did you know that this sector is growing at an impressive 6% rate per year? The demand for quality CRM systems is growing at a fast pace because these tools help businesses boost their sales and productivity. There are a plethora of CRM tools on the market today. If you made the resolution to start using a CRM solution this year, make...
Using Act! CRM to Boost Your Sales
A recent survey conducted by the American Research Group, Inc. showed that Americans were planning on spending an average of $861 on gifts for the 2014 holiday season. This number has increased by 8% compared to the 2013 holiday season and experts agree on the fact the online shopping will continue growing. And according to a survey from CreditCards.com, 75% of Americans have made an impulse buy during...
Link Act! to QuickBooks or Sage 50
The Best Way to Link Act! to QuickBooks or Sage 50
Small businesses require two solutions to effectively manage their front and back office operations:
A CRM solution to manage front office processes such as sales and service
An accounting solution to manage the back office operations including invoicing.
Typically sales people don’t have access to accounting information and the bookkeeper...
So Why Exactly Should My Company Invest in CRM?
Implementing a CRM solution can be a daunting – and expensive – proposition. Many organizations are already using tools including Outlook and Excel spreadsheets and can’t justify the expense involved in transitioning to a true CRM solution. As a CRM consultant advise prospective CRM users to “keep their eye on the prize” and remember the true benefit of a good CRM installation: greater...
America’s Apple Obsession
OK, I’ll admit that as a 30 year user of, and consultant for, Windows products I might be a bit prejudiced but can anyone explain to me the current obsession with Apple products? My local Apple store had a line wrapped around the mall before the holidays, and I witnessed similar occurrences at the Apple stores in New York. Apparently the iPad was the gift of choice this season surpassing the...
